And Now the Screaming Starts!

And Now the Screaming Starts!

Year: 1973

Runtime: 91 mins

Language: English

Director: Roy Ward Baker

HorrorHorror the undead and monster classicsTerrifying haunted and supernatural horrorGothic and eerie haunting horrorCreepy chilling and terrifying horror

The cursed hand that crawls, kills, and lives. In the late 18th century, newlyweds Charles and Catherine Fengriffen move into the stately family mansion. Catherine soon falls victim to a vengeance‑driven curse placed by a wronged servant on the Fengriffen line, sealing a doom that haunts each descendant.

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Timeline & Setting – And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973)

Explore the full timeline and setting of And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1795

The events take place in 1795 England, a period of rigid social hierarchy and superstition. The estate’s age and the surrounding countryside emphasize tradition and secrecy. Within this late 18th-century frame, sleep-ruining visions and violent acts escalate toward a fatal reckoning.

Location

Fengriffen House, Silas' Lodge

Set on the Fengriffen estate in rural England, the story unfolds around an opulent country house and a nearby woodsman’s lodge. The mansion’s creaky corridors, moonlit grounds and hidden histories provide the backdrop for a generational curse. The setting blends aristocratic luxury with Gothic menace, creating a claustrophobic world where warnings go unheeded.

🏰 Haunted estate 👁️ Visions 🌫️ Damp atmosphere

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:14

Main Characters – And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973)

Meet the key characters of And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Catherine Fengriffen (Stephanie Beacham)

A young bride who experiences disturbing visions of an undead corpse and a severed hand upon entering Fengriffen House. She becomes the focal point of the family curse, her pregnancy heightening the stakes. Courageous yet vulnerable, she endures the estate's threats as secrets unfold.

👁️ Visions 💍 Bride 🏚️ Haunted

Charles Fengriffen (Ian Ogilvy)

Catherine's fiancé who initially dismisses the legends and tries to protect the family's name. His skepticism clashes with the supernatural events, driving him toward a dramatic confrontation with the estate's dark past. He is capable, stubborn, and ultimately implicated in the unfolding tragedy.

🏰 Aristocrat 🗝️ Secrets 🧭 Obsession

Silas / Woodsman (Geoffrey Whitehead)

The surviving son of the man Henry Fengriffen wronged, Silas embodies the vengeful legacy that haunts Fengriffen House. His birthmark mirrors the corpse Catherine sees, and his presence signals the curse's reach. Quiet and formidable, he remains a menacing force.

🪵 Woodsman 🗡️ Revenge 👁️ Birthmark

Dr Whittle (Patrick Magee)

The physician who initially attributes Catherine's experiences to mental disorder and urges caution. He reveals key backstory elements about the estate and the curses, acting as a bridge between superstition and explanation. His fate underscores the danger that accompanies uncovering the truth.

⚕️ Doctor 🧭 Mystery

Dr Pope (Peter Cushing)

A psychiatrist with an open mind who pushes for a rational investigation. He questions the family legends, works to extract the truth from the past, and becomes a steady ally to Catherine. His method contrasts with fear-driven responses around him.

⚕️ Doctor 🧠 Investigator 🕯️ Skeptic

Sir Henry Fengriffen (Herbert Lom)

The debauched patriarch whose past crime against Silas set the curse in motion. His remorse contrasts with the brutality of the original acts, and his actions loom large over the present danger. He is the ancestral threat whose sins echo through generations.

👑 Patriarch 🔨 Crime ⚰️ Guilt

Maitland (Guy Rolfe)

Charles's solicitor who begins to uncover the estate's dark history but is murdered for pursuing the truth. His fate illustrates the protective reach of the curse and the peril in exposing secrets.

👔 Lawyer 🪓 Murder

Mrs Luke (Rosalie Crutchley)

The housemaid whose loyalty to the Fengriffens leads to a brutal death by the hand that haunts the house. She embodies the personal risk surrounding those who dare to meddle with the past.

👗 Servant 💥 Violence

Aunt Edith (Gillian Lind)

Catherine’s chaperone who becomes another victim when the severed hand reaches into the living world. Her death underscores the reach of the curse and the peril of confronting it.

👵 Relative 🪢 Murder

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:14

Major Themes – And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973)

Explore the central themes of And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕯️ Gothic Horror

The film relies on a moody, claustrophobic atmosphere, spectral visions and a family curse to generate dread. Crumbling rooms, hidden histories and a foreboding presence anchor the supernatural elements. The sense of inevitable doom comes from the estate's age-old secrets rather than explicit explanation.

🗝️ Family Curse

A curse tied to the Fengriffen bloodline threads tragedy from generation to generation. Birthmarks, a severed hand and a vengeful woodsman bury past crimes in the present. The notion that violence repeats across heirs drives the tension and reveals the estate's dark legacy.

🧠 Rationalism

Dr Pope and Dr Whittle represent a scientific approach to the mystery, challenging superstition. They probe the estate's legends with reason, even as fear lingers in the halls. The clash between medical rationality and haunted belief threads through the investigation.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:14

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